In a recent landmark case, the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights has ruled that the use of hidden video cameras by a Spanish supermarket, which led to the dismissal of several employees for stealing, was not a restriction of the right to privacy of the employees
Oct
25
2019
European Union: Court of Justice rules that occupational illness can be seen as a disability
In a new judgement, the CJEU has applied its broad definition of ‘disability’ in light of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and finds that an occupational illness can be qualified as a disability within the framework of EU discrimination law
Sep
28
2019
European Union: The new Commission is taking shape – von der Leyen’s plans for a social Europe
Ursula von der Leyen, who will follow Jean-Claude Juncker as president of the European Commission in November, has presented her selection for the appointment of the new Commissioners, picking Nicolas Schmit as Commissioner for Jobs
Aug
28
2019
EU: Directive on Transparent and Predictable Working Conditions entered into force
Directive 2019/1152 on Transparent and Predictable Working Conditions, one of the main social achievements of the Commission Juncker, has been officially published on 11 July 2019 and entered into force on 31 July 2019. The member states now have three years (until 1 August 2022) to comply with its provisions
Jul
27
2019
EU: European Labour Authority will have its seat in Bratislava
On 13 June 2019, Bratislava was chosen as the seat of the new European Labour Authority (ELA). The EPSCO Council (the council of the ministers of work of the EU Member States) in Luxembourg has selected the Slovakian capital with 15 votes out of 28. The other competing cities were Sofia (Bulgaria), Riga (Latvia) and Nicosia (Cyprus). Therefore, the seat of this important new institution was almost certain to go to an Eastern European country
Jun
25
2019
EU: Court of justice obliges a working time registration system
In a landmark judgment of 14 May 2019, the Court of Justice decided that, in order to ensure the effectiveness of the rights provided for in the Working Time Directive (2003/88/EC) and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU, Member States must require employers to set up an objective, reliable and accessible system that makes it possible to measure each worker’s daily working time
May
29
2019
EU: Revision of Regulation 883/2004 on the coordination of social security postponed to the next legislature
Regulation 883/2004 is the most important legal instrument of the EU with regard to social security. It lays down the coordination rules between the member states in order to i.e. prevent posted workers to be covered by more than one social security system. The envisaged revision of this instrument has however, been blocked by the Council and subsequently postponed by the European Parliament